In December 2015 a study showed that the majority of students suffer from mental health difficulties during their studies. A separate study (November 2015) demonstrated the high rates of depression among PhD students.

The impact of psychotherapy

A new study shows that short term psychoanalytic psychotherapy (12 sessions) is highly effective for children with anxiety difficulties.

A recent randomised control study of adults receiving 18 weeks of psychotherapy has shown very positive results, especially given the fact that 18 weeks would be a very short length of time in treatment. It showed that 44 per cent of the depressed adults in the study no longer had a major depressive disorder (followed up two years after treatment) compared to only 10 per cent of those receiving usual NHS treatments offered. In the three and a half years following psychotherapy or other NHS treatments, the changes of having at least partial recovery from symptoms was 40 per cent higher for those who had undertaken psychotherapy. See http://tavistockandportman.uk/about-us/research/current-research-projects/adult-depression-study-tads for a full report on findings. See also the British Psychoanalytic Council website for more information about the evidence base for psychotherapy.